Welcome Back
by moonswirl
Summary: Gleekathon, days 169-174: The Glee Club has been torn apart, and Brittany takes it upon herself to bring them back together.
1. Welcome Back, Brittany & Santana

Started my daily ficlets to make the hiatus pass, then decided to keep going with a second cycle, and then a third, fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh and eigth cycle. Which MEANS **cycle 9** is here, which MEANS...

**GLEE IS ALMOST HERE! CAN YOU FEEL IT GLEEKS? CAN? YOU? FEEEEEL IT???**

And in honor of said return (*flails!*), here's a first more or less multi-chapter story/arc! Ends on the day of (*flaily mcfangirl*) THE RETURN!  
**Day 1 of 6**

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**"Welcome Back, Brittany and Santana"  
Brittany & Santana**

It had been the kind of argument that cut deep enough to sever. And after that, you were so busy tending your wounds you weren't sure anymore what had brought on the injury. But you still associated the blade with the one who'd wielded it, so you maintained your distance. In this case though, there had been several blades, and they cut in every which way possible, leaving twelve severed pieces, bleeding…

One week had passed, and not one of them had attended a practice, or even talked to one another, not more than what was called on by them attending the same school, the same classes. Mr. Schuester was at a loss, having tried and failed to rectify the situation. Coach Sylvester had never looked so triumphant. She'd gone so far as to approach Quinn about rejoining the Cheerios once she'd had her baby. Quinn had still turned her down, but she didn't even flinch.

The most awkward time, beyond the moments where they would go home instead of Glee practice, was lunch time. There they all were, dotting the various tables, on their own. There was only one exception, if not a half of an exception.

Brittany would still go and sit with Santana. Of the twelve of them, the blonde seemed to have healed up fairly well, so much that she was starting to feel like Mr. Schuester. She and Santana, it would take a lot more than this to tear them apart, but still this whole thing had left a stain. There was just a fairly small hint of awkwardness, and she didn't like that, not one bit. She had to find a way to fix this, all of it.

She looked around the cafeteria, spotting the dispersed faces. These were her friends. In all these months, she'd really come to care for them, some more than others, but all of them none the less. Some had even managed to surprise her. And plus, they'd given her something.

She loved being a cheerleader, she wasn't denying that. It hadn't changed. But there was something about Glee Club that was indescribable. She felt different there… inspired, joyful… And there was something to be said about the noted lack of a bullhorn.

Over the last week, though none of them had attended practice, Brittany had kept to the area near the door, in hopes one of them would come. Mr. Schuester had caught her a couple times, and when he'd call her name, she'd scurry.

"Unfinished business…" she suddenly whispered, eyes wide with revelation. This got Santana to look up from her lunch, seeing her with that idea look on her face.

"What'd you say?" she asked. "Brittany?" she tried again. The blonde looked at her, and she smiled, getting up.

"Unfinished business," she simply repeated, nodding with conviction before taking hold of her chair and dragging it off. She could hear Santana calling after her, but she kept going. They'd been rehearsing the song, before the blades came out. If she knew them enough, maybe that was what they needed to see through all this madness.

She planted her chair in a somewhat open area. She looked back across the cafeteria, to Santana, to the others. She'd have to be the one to start them mending. With no hesitation, she climbed on to the chair. There was a mix of hushing, whispers and finger pointing as the people in the cafeteria saw her. She could see a few of her fellow… former… Glee Club members already looking back. This was it… She sang.

_[B] "Countless hours of learning more / Countless hours of knowing less / Can't look behind you."_

As she sang out the first couple of lines, Santana watched her. Her girl had always been braver than all of them. She was fearless and carefree, and that had made them best friends, more so than anyone else in her life. And seeing her there, the last few months supersped through her mind, all this Glee Club adventure.

She knew what it had been, to them both, at first. But she could also remember how she'd started to love it. She knew who she was, outside of that room, off that stage, and she made no excuses for it.

But when she was in that room, when she was on that stage, there was this feeling inside her. Everything else, she just left it at the door. And for however long she was in there, she got to be this whole other person. By one morning, it had become that she'd wake up, and she'd realize it was Glee day, and she would feel her heart flutter with giddiness.

She hadn't even felt herself grasp on to the chair's back, but a moment later, she was on her feet, holding the chair and adding her voice to Brittany's.

_[B/S] "You have to look ahead."_

All heads turned back at that. She could see Brittany holding back from bouncing on her chair, grinning as she watched Santana carry her chair over. She parked by Brittany's, who held her hand out to help her climb. Once she was up there, Brittany's arm hooked over Santana's shoulders, as the other hooked hers around her back. And the song carried on.

_[B/S] "So many doubts running through your mind / All the excuses / Don't have the time / All the rejection you have to leave behind / Leave it all behind."_

Santana wasn't sure she knew what Brittany was hoping would happen, but part of her didn't care. Sure, they'd probably never hear the end of it, but it felt right, and she needed that feeling again, hadn't felt it all week.

And then something happened, and they both looked up.

A third voice joined in.

THE E… NO, WAIT! TO BE CONTINUED! TOMORROW! ;)


	2. Welcome Back, Rachel, Finn & Quinn

Well I don't need to put everything, it's a multi-chapter, so you know! ;) Thanks for the comments guys! You rock :D

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**"Welcome Back, Rachel, Finn & Quinn"  
Brittany & Santana, Rachel, Finn, Quinn, Finn/Quinn-ness**

Rachel had been used to eating on her own, before. Now she felt she'd been robbed of something, as she sat on her own again. Her eyes wandered where her feet wouldn't carry her, seeing the people she'd come to share lunch with in the past few months. It wasn't as though it had been an option. Now she was back on her own, daily.

That day, the fates had decided to mess with her, forcing her to sit at the same table as her semi-stalker, Jacob. He was looking at her, she could tell, and she'd finally gotten it together to look up and tell him to stop. Only when she did, he wasn't in fact looking at her – he was looking past her. She turned in her chair and followed his gaze. Her eyes grew wide.

"What is she doing?" Rachel asked herself, seeing Brittany standing on a chair in the middle of the cafeteria. Her head turned back for a second, catching Jacob's dazzled little smirk, which up to date she'd found turned on her more times than she could count. Her head turned back to take in the 'show' just as it turned into performance… Brittany started to sing – it was the song they'd been rehearsing, just before the…

She thought about that day, and the days that followed. There had just been this sense of desolation all around, and the conclusion had been foregone, like none of them had thought to hold them in place before they could scatter.

Of course, she was no stranger to comings and goings when it came to Glee Club. She'd quit, and rejoined, and quit, and rejoined… Maybe a part of her felt one couldn't go without the other, that it would all get better in the end. There was a problem with that idea this time though: there was nothing to come back to.

And then Santana joined into Brittany's song, made her stand. It started her heart and her mind racing. She looked around. They were all in here, somewhere, all twelve of them. If she joined in too, that they could get through this if they gave it a shot. And so she stood, and sang, picking up her chair and moving up.

_[B, S, R] "Hold your dreams / Don't ever let it go."_

As she approached, Brittany was gesturing with a smile for her to put her chair on the other side of her. Rachel did, climbing on with Brittany's help. She caught a smile from Santana as they faced out ahead, carrying on.

_[B, S, R] "Be yourself / And let the world take notice."_

That day, Finn and Quinn had ended up at neighboring tables. They'd exchanged one brief look, but after that they'd just focused on lunch. Their issues had gone from even before the events of the previous week. It had been hard enough as it was, but it hadn't had the same effect on them as they'd thought it would. Instead, it got them thinking, on what had and would become of them.

And the hushing and whispers had started. Finn looked around, trying to see what was going on. He caught sight of Quinn and she pointed behind them, looking only semi-confused, which he'd soon realize was due to knowing the tendencies of the person who'd gotten everyone in this mood. He watched Brittany climb on her chair, and what happened next surprised him, and cranked Quinn's confusion from semi to full. Brittany started singing, their last number, and Santana then joined her, lining up another chair. Everyone was watching.

Quinn found herself smiling after a moment, observing her two friends, former fellow Cheerios. Of all people, making a scene for the sake of Glee, it was both a total shocker and absolute sense rolled up in one. Joining, after all, may not have been completely on the up-and-up, but she'd had her reasons, Finn. For them though, it had been an act of solidarity, of friendship. They'd had no stake in this beyond helping her.

And seeing them do this, she got to wonder if maybe she could surmount what had torn them apart. Turning to Finn for a second, she could see he was thinking, too.

He was considering his entry into the club as well. Sure, at first he'd been more or less forced in because of the threat of that mysterious envelope from the Chronic Lady, and he'd had just that fear as his reason for sticking around. In the days that had followed, he'd realized… that was where he belonged.

Surely he couldn't have made it through the madness of the next few months without all of them, Mr. Schuester, Rachel, Kurt… and Puck, before he knew the truth… And then Quinn… He still didn't know how to deal with it. How was he supposed to forget all this… What were they supposed to be? Could he ever really…

His attention was brought back to the spectacle when a familiar voice was added to the mix. He watched Rachel get in line with the rest of them, and he wondered… He may not have had the same kind of feelings for Quinn as he used to, but in the months they'd spent, 'expecting' together, they had become more than just a couple. On the surface, they had seemed obvious, but he knew… there was that much more to it. Yes, maybe they couldn't go back, but it didn't mean they couldn't move forward, if only a little. Right then, he'd known what it was that he had to do, for himself, for her, for all of them.

Seeing Rachel join in, Quinn had only felt more drawn to perhaps get up off her chair and climb on it… She wasn't sure how she'd manage to hoist herself up there…

Then she caught movement out of the corner of her eye, and she looked over. Finn had gotten up, grasping his chair. She thought to herself, 'good for him,' only now she wasn't sure… Would he sit back down if she got up?

That's when she saw him take hold of the empty chair at his side. She wondered why he took two, and then he turned and gave her a small nod before he started walking to what was fast becoming a makeshift stage, carrying his chairs and singing.

_[BSRF] "You'll find strength / When people bring you down."_

Quinn felt her heart rush, and her eyes well up, just a moment. He was throwing her a bone, who was she to ignore it? She got up on her feet, and she walked to join them, adding her voice.

_[BSRFQ] "They will see / If you would only, only believe."_

Finn had put the chairs down, but he didn't climb on just yet. When Quinn got up to them, he held his hand out – so did Rachel. Together, they got Quinn up there. She looked to Rachel, who still held her hand so she wouldn't fall, and she smiled. She sensed movement on the other side, and she looked back to see Finn had now climbed his chair. She gave him a thankful little nod, which he returned.

They wondered what would happen next, hoped more of the twelve would join in. They were almost halfway there… Then they heard voices arguing in the hall, growing louder and more recognizable as they grew closer. The five of them froze as they saw Principal Figgins and Coach Sylvester stop just inside the door, staring at them. Sue only had eyes on the two in the Cheerios uniforms.

"Santana Lopez! Brittany…"

"Sue, please," Principal Figgins interrupted her, paying no attention to her death glares. "Children, get down from there."

"No," Brittany spoke, hushing them all for the second time that day. "We're not finished."

"Oh, you're finished alright…"

"Sue, please," Figgins cut in again.

"She's right," Santana nodded, indicating Brittany with a firm smile. They weren't finished.

Then the sixth voice came.

TO BE CONTINUUUUUED… TOMORROW :)


	3. Welcome Back, Kurt & Artie

_Again, thanks for the comments :D_

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**"Welcome Back, Kurt and Artie"  
Brittany & Santana, Rachel, Finn, Quinn, Finn/Quinn-ness, Kurt, Artie, Artie/Tina**

It wasn't as though he hadn't been strong before Glee Club. He had known who he was, even if he may not have wanted others to. But it had made him stronger, enough to be able to cross certain barriers. And he wouldn't have traded that under any circumstance. He had found, more importantly so, people who accepted, cared for him. He could be at ease, and that was something.

What had happened the previous week though… He didn't want to say it had put everything they'd gone through under a new light, because that wasn't true. He wasn't going to be like that. No, the last few months were real… and now they were done.

Going into the cafeteria at lunch time though, he missed it, missed them… The only ones that even sat together anymore were Santana and Brittany, and even then…

He paused and frowned in confusion when he saw the said blonde get up and drag her chair off. But then he shrugged to himself, thinking, "Well, of course, it's Brittany," and got back to the poor imitation of a lunch before him. But then… singing. His fork stopped in mid-air, his bite hanging precariously from the fork, as he looked up to see what was going on.

He sat there, transfixed, observing their resident blonde Cheerio standing on her chair, singing to the masses of lunching McKinley students. When there came a second voice, his head spun back and the bite fell off the fork, and he startled in fear that something may have splashed on him. He had just finished checking his clothes when he realized the second voice was Santana's, and she'd joined Santana on the chair stage. If he hadn't seen it with his own widened eyes, he wouldn't have believed it. And to add astounding to surprising, they were then joined by Rachel, like good old friends.

They were good friends, all of them. He found himself searching Mercedes with his eyes. He missed her most of all, and second most…

He turned when he saw Finn move to join them, lugging two chairs, which he'd soon find to be in accommodation to Quinn. They all looked suddenly and refreshingly unburdened, like they'd shed the diseased skin that had been the argument of the previous week.

Not far from him, Artie had been having a lot of the same thoughts, they all had been, he was sure. He hadn't been left completely alone in this whole mess. He still had his friends from the Jazz Ensemble. They'd taken him in at their table when they'd found out what had happened. They hadn't said it yet, probably for fear it'd be too soon, but he could tell they were thinking about it, because it was all over their faces, Clara's in particular. He could tell it was killing her not to ask him the question, wanting him to join the ensemble full time now that Glee Club seemed to be done for.

Fact was he was glad they hadn't done it yet. He didn't want to think about the possibility that it might be over. Sure, in the first few days after, he was still in the mindset that he could well be done with them. But then the days had passed, and so had the anger. Now he was just lonely, and at a loss as to how he could get them back.

He was listening to Peter as he was telling them about a funny thing that had happened to him the previous evening, when Lisa, sitting across from Artie, had drawn his attention, nodding behind him.

"Isn't that one of the girls from Glee Club?" she'd asked.

"One…" he started to ask as he turned, and then he just stared in silent awe as he watched Brittany, standing on a chair, singing out to whoever would listen, which in this case was every soul in that cafeteria.

"What is she doing?" Clara had asked, just as Santana had gotten up to join Brittany.

"It's our last song," Artie spoke, still watching. "The one we were doing right before…" Much like Kurt's eyes had gone to Mercedes, Artie's had found Tina. If it was painful to be without the other ten, it was torture not having her around. They'd been friends before, a little. She had her stutter, and he had his chair. They were an interesting pair, some might say. In the months of Glee Club though, he'd found so much more, gotten to know her that much more, to like her, to…

The revelation of her lack of a stutter could so easily have been the end of them, but they had gotten through it. Now all he had to hang on to was the possibility that they could eventually get through this, too. Getting her back would mean so much; it would mean maybe he could get them all back. They'd been so supportive of him, even though some of it had taken more time… he needed to believe they were stronger than this break.

And just as he'd thought this, he'd heard Rachel, watched her carry a third chair to the line. And soon thereafter, Finn had moved up with two chairs of his own, for him and Quinn. His hope was seeming more and more possible as the rank widened, voices were made to be five now. There were a couple of them ready to jump in with them, he could feel it, but then…

They could see Figgins and Coach Sylvester coming up the hall into the cafeteria. The jig was up, they'd shut down. No one dared to do a thing for a second.

Kurt watched, as the five of them were ordered to stand down, turned to look at them as he silently begged in his mind, 'Don't get down, stay there, don't let them stop you.' And then Brittany, sweet miraculous Brittany, she said 'No.' She insisted they weren't done. He was nodding without realizing. Her stance seemed to have fortified the others, right down to Santana, who maintained they would stay.

Someone had to continue, to restart the song in hopes to draw the others in, resume what had been interrupted. It would take a voice to cut across this madness, a voice like his. He got up, picking up his chair. It made a sound which, in the dead quiet room, got everyone's attention. Figgins was baffled, Sue was looking to say 'Don't you dare.' He paid no attention to them. No, he looked to the five on the chairs who, in seeing him stand, gasped with joy. He gave them a smile, and they began to hum.

_[K] "Someway, somehow" / [BSRFQ] "Yeah, yeah, yeah"_

He moved through, cutting through to get to them, putting his chair next to Finn's, about to climb on. He looked at them all.

_[K] "Don't give up now" / [BSRFQ] "Don't give up"_

As he'd been drawn to stand though, he'd given Artie the final push to decide on what he had to do. Clara, sitting next to him, seemed to have understood. "What about the chair?" she'd asked, indicating the others.

"I've got one," he assured her, wheeling through. He found Tina, giving her a smile as he passed her. As he got closer, he'd added his voice to Kurt's.

_[KA] "Don't be afraid to succeed" / [BSRFQ] "To succeed, yeah"_

It hadn't taken long for the others to adjust at his arrival. Rather than climbing on his chair, Kurt had moved to the front of the row, where Artie came to join them, soon joined by Santana, who hopped down.

The eighth voice wasn't far behind.

TO BE CONTINUUUUUED… TOMORROW :)


	4. Welcome Back, Tina, Mike & Matt

_Once again, big thanks on the comments... you have no idea how much I appreciate them right now :)_

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**"Welcome Back, Tina, Mike & Matt"  
Brittany & Santana, Rachel, Finn, Quinn, Finn/Quinn-ness, Kurt, Artie, Artie/Tina, Tina, Mike, Mike/Brittany, Matt, Matt/Sasha**

Part of her wished she could just climb back into her shell after what had happened. Things had been so much easier back there, with her stutter. Yes, she was alone, but it was by her own wish. Then she'd joined Glee Club, and suddenly her 'thing' wasn't what it used to be. She had felt what it was like not to push people away but let them in, and… Oh, it was so much better this way… She'd made dear friends, and one in particular, as much as they were still trying to figure things out.

But now he was tables away, not with her. They hadn't not-spoken to one another that long since… holidays, when each of them was somewhere else, and even then they'd text… Grasping at fool's hope once more, she'd absent-mindedly pick up her phone and check… then she'd see there was nothing and she'd put it back down, disappointed. She carefully looked back… Artie was sitting with the Jazz Ensemble.

Then one of them, Lisa, pointed at something, and Artie started to turn. She snapped back her head to face ahead, thinking perhaps she'd been caught. When she did though, she realized what it was that Lisa had been pointing at, and it wasn't at Tina. She froze.

She wasn't sure what Brittany was up to, but she'd stay there very quietly and watch. When she started to sing, sing the song they'd last prepped, she couldn't help smiling, if only a little nervous by association. She started to feel like she was attending some odd 360-degree tennis match, as new voices would join in, and everyone would turn to see who it was.

She watched first Santana, then Rachel, and soon after both Finn and Quinn, all of them joining the chorus-on-chairs. It was hard to explain the feeling at seeing their fellow Glee Club members standing up there and knowing that as shocked and amused as everyone was, there were only twelve of them in that room who could really understand what was happening, and that this was for them.

A few tables away, there were a couple more of those said twelve, who got it as much as Tina did. Matt had come into lunch, not sitting where he usually sat, with the guys from the team, as it was, it included too many of his other team, the one he'd lost. He wasn't ready, and he could tell neither were they. So he sat on his own, eating his lunch, reading the letter he'd received from Sasha.

He'd told her what had happened, and he really could not explain how thankful he was to have her in his life in times like these. She assured him, confidently, that everything would get better. He really wanted to believe her. As much as he'd joined as a favour to Puck, he had gotten to feel like an integral part of that club, as much as it was a part of him and his life. How he'd manage to get it all back though… not that he had figured it out yet.

Mike had come into the cafeteria that day, intent on fixing things with at least one person. There were others he really wanted to get through to, all of them in the end of course, but those… it had to figure that the one he really wanted to catch on her own, was about the only one of their group who wasn't on their own. He could see her, sitting with Santana, and he knew, as they were now, all of them, he wouldn't get anywhere this way. But he could deal with that for now. There was one other person he really had to talk with, and he was alone.

He approached Matt's table, slow, nervous. He was fairly certain he wasn't about to be turned away, but after last week… Matt looked up for one reason or another, and he saw Mike, who gave a small nod. He was about to say something, ask if he could sit, but he was beat to it, as Matt pushed a chair out for him with his foot. Mike chuckled and sat.

"Sasha?" Mike inquired with a nod of the head at the letter Matt was putting away, as a way to get talking.

"Yeah," Matt smiled to himself by reflex. After a moment, he looked back to Mike. "Got a new game at home if you want to come check it out?" he suggested.

"Yeah, definitely," he agreed, and there was a bit of a sigh of relief… it had been fairly easy.

Mike heard someone call out "Brittany!" and he looked up, trying to find her. He got a pat on the arm by Matt, and he turned around just in time to see her climb on her chair. He and Matt exchanged a look, and then he heard… He knew her voice before he looked back, and in an instant he knew what she was doing… and he felt an odd sense of pride. Of course she'd do this. He smiled, even if he knew she couldn't see.

He knew they knew just as well as he did how much Glee Club had become such a good part of his life. That he got to do all these things he loved, football, singing, dancing, all over the span of the same days… he was blessed. Now that the season was done, and the club so torn… He felt he just had… nothing. He needed his world back.

And now there she was, calling it back, pieces falling into place, one by one… Santana, Rachel, Finn, Quinn… Even when people came, tried to stop them, she would not be turned away. So then the assembly could go on.

Tina had almost gotten up, but then Kurt had stepped in, calling the five who'd already stood, back into the song. She grinned victoriously, seeing the outrage on Coach Sylvester's face, more so as they both saw Principal Figgins appear to get pulled in by the whole scene.

Then she'd heard the squeak of a wheel and seen Artie roll by, staring back at her. She felt her heart skip a beat, the way he was looking. She followed him with her eyes, so much so she was soon up on her feet, moving toward the group. She wasn't bringing a chair – she didn't need one, not where she was going.

_[T] "Someway, somehow" / [BSRFQKA] "Come on, everybody"_

She smiled, as Kurt moved aside to allow her to come and stand by Artie's side. They were already smiling, and this was sure to keep them going.

At their table, Mike and Matt had made a silent agreement, it appeared, both of them getting up just seconds after Tina did. They didn't need chairs either. As they approached, there were a couple of Cheerios waiting on them excitedly. Mike moved to stand at Santana's side in the front row.

_[Mi] "The time is right now" / [BSRFQKA] "It's our time, yeah"_

She gave him a grinning nod, and he returned it, before turning his head up. Seeing those blue eyes smiling down at him, he felt right where he belonged. On the other end, Matt hopped on the chair Kurt had brought but not used.

_[Ma] "Don't be afraid to succeed" / [BSRFQKA] "To succeed, yeah"_

He got a pat on the arm from Finn, as the group, now ten strong, turned back to their audience, hoping the group would complete itself. They saw no movement at first, but they could understand. So they started once more.

_[10] "Hold your dreams / Don't ever let it go"_

And then, an eleventh voice…

TO BE CONTINUUUUUED… TOMORROW :)


	5. Welcome Back, Puck & Mercedes

_Thanks for the comments, guys! :D Last part tomorrow, which means GLEE RETURNS TOMORROW!! *giggle!squee!flail*_

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**"Welcome Back, Puck & Mercedes"  
Brittany & Santana, Rachel, Finn, Quinn, Finn/Quinn-ness, Kurt, Artie, Artie/Tina,  
Tina, Mike, Mike/Brittany, Matt, Matt/Sasha, Puck, Puck/Quinn, Mercedes**

He'd do it all for her… anything. He may have needed time to become the guy she deserved in every way, but he wanted to try, had to, for them both, Quinn, and their daughter. He never would have known just how important she could be to him if he hadn't followed his instincts the way he had and joined Glee Club along with Mike and Matt.

He'd show her he could take care of them if she just gave him the chance. He realized it would be hard for him to make those changes, but he didn't have a choice – it was the only way.

He never factored in the idea that Glee Club might end up mattering, too. It was just the means to an end, it was silly and uncool and so not him. But then he had nothing to worry about, he was a catch, a jock. He could just coast by, do what he'd set out to do and that'd be the end of that. The one problem was he hadn't factored in that he might get something out of it, too. He'd had music in him all his life, from his dad. He'd learned it on his own though, after his father had walked out on them. He hadn't done it for him… But it'd be pretty cool if he could pass it on to that baby girl.

The day of that argument, he was the first one to bail out. He knew what was coming, they had all been hurt too much to just stand there. Besides, he'd already watched her walk away from him, he wasn't going to stand there and wait on that. He'd rather cut his losses now.

The days had gone by after that, and for all intents and purposes he was ready to stick to his guns. But then he'd see one of them, in the halls, in class, in the cafeteria…

Cutting across to the usual table that day, he'd spotted Quinn. He hesitated for a second, and that got him spotted. He froze as she looked back at him. Neither of them knew what to say. After a moment, he turned and walked along, continuing to his table. He put his tray down, sat… He looked back, seeing Finn sit at a table right by Quinn's. He shrugged and shook his head to himself, starting to eat.

"What the hell?" one of the guys sitting with him spoke. He looked back, and his eyebrow raised. He wasn't sure what Brittany was up to, but when he heard the guys whisper and chuckle, he looked back over his shoulder for a second.

"Shut up," he told them, just as he heard her start singing. He watched as she was joined by Santana – of course – and then… Rachel was the next to go up and join her voice… He'd had a feeling she would – he was surprised she hadn't gone first.

Then Finn got up next, and Puck saw he was carrying two chairs – he knew what he was doing right away, and his eyes travelled back to Quinn, who got up just as he thought she would. He wouldn't say it to anyone, but it still gave him something every time he saw her stand, or turn, and he'd see the belly… The next thing he knew, they were helping her up on a chair, too.

He wanted to go up there, to be by her side, too, but he didn't know… after everything, how that would go. So for a time, he remained sitting there.

He wasn't the only one slow to rise. Mercedes didn't know whether to feel responsible or most wounded about what had gotten them there the week before. She'd blocked it out for the most part, didn't want to think about it, but the emotions were still there. It left her with what she'd call a 'response problem.' Seeing them around school, she'd react as the wounded, but the moment they were out of sight, she'd feel the guilt.

As the days had passed, the balance had started to shift, stomping out the victim in favour of the guilt. With that came another feeling… she missed Glee Club.

When she'd joined, it had been so easy to rely on that which she'd known all her life: She was talented, unique… and they'd all know it the moment she started to sing. But then she was with other people like that. It was all a sort of eye opener, and she'd been thankful for the change. She'd gotten friends out of it, great ones, who understood her in ways only they could get. She missed them now… Kurt, Tina, Matt… And Rachel, well, they'd come closer after Sectionals… They'd made compromises and admissions they would never have managed in the early days of Glee Club.

Now she feared she'd ruined it all, her precious circle of friends scattered to the winds. If they reformed, would they even want her back? She knew it wasn't just her, that there'd been a lot of kindling thrown around, but she was fairly certain she'd been the one to light the flame.

Coming into cafeteria that day, she was regretting them, unable to share a funny thing that had happened at home that morning. After all, they were the only ones she had there who would care or know why it was funny. As a result, she sat to her lunch with a frustrated sigh. Now her appetite wasn't all in it anymore.

She didn't look up when people started whispering… she was fairly certain it was nothing that concerned her. That was proven wrong to her a moment later, when she heard a familiar voice, singing… Was her mind playing tricks on her? Why… she looked up at the same moment she realized what the whispers had been about.

She watched, stunned, at Brittany's impromptu performance, growing further surprised as Santana joined in… What on earth was happening, now Rachel was joining them? The song had been Mercedes' good idea the week before – the one good thing she'd done that day, and part of her glowed with innocent hope, like maybe this meant they could all be okay again…

She missed going to that room, with them, and just diving into a new song, a new dance… She'd feel accomplished, even if it was just for the twelve of them and Mr. Schuester. They'd never gotten to finish this one, because…

The hope faded again, and she just watched as both Finn and Quinn joined the three already on "stage."

Then there came a snag in the production – somehow Figgins and Coach Sylvester must have found out about this. They came in like the police coming to shut down a party. Maybe she could get up then. Maybe if she stood up for them, it could somehow make up for everything that had happened? Maybe they wouldn't care… Still, she was willing to try. She started grasping her chair, but then…

Kurt got up. She smiled, knowing it was just like him to do that. Not long after that, there came another four, one right after the other – Artie, then Tina, Mike, and Matt… That only left two of them still sitting now, and the song was nearing its end.

Puck watched the rapid succession of joiners into their bit of gleeful cafeteria rebellion, and the reddening of Coach Sylvester's face. Now there was no more time to put it off, he had to make his decision.

There were ten of them up there, but he was focused on just one, not to mention the unseen eleventh. Just because she had insisted she needed to do things on her own, he couldn't forget what had led him to join in the first place, and the promise he'd made, even if she wasn't having it. He wanted to look out for her, for both of them. He couldn't do that by just sitting there when she was there. So as they carried on the song, he got up. When they looked back at him, when she looked back at him, he nodded and started toward them, adding his voice.

_[P+10] "Be yourself / And let the world take notice"_

He climbed on to the chair vacated by Santana, next to Brittany, making a back row of six, and a front of five. All they needed was one more, and the courage may have been slow coming, but it was starting to come to her at last.

As the last holdout, the other eleven seemed to be singing right at her now. They were smiling at her, Kurt was discreetly waving for her to come… Now she was seeing how much she'd just been foolish not to recognize that they could look past everything that had happened if she would, too. She smiled, the old Mercedes back in the game as she stood and sang as she moved toward them.

_[Me+11] "You'll find strength / When people bring you down / They will see / If you would only, only believe."_

They were excited, all of them, as she approached. She stepped up into the spot next to Kurt, getting a high five from Matt on the chair behind her on the way, and Kurt's arm around her shoulders once she had reached her rightful place, among them.

Reunited, all twelve, they carried out the song, big finish and all. There was an awed silence after.

And then they saw something that made them smile.

TO BE CONTINUUUUUED… TOMORROW :)


	6. Welcome Back, New Directions

_Glee Day, uh huh uh huh, GLEE DAY UH HUH UH HUH, GLEEEEE DAAAAY!! (Oh, and this is the final chapter ;))_

* * *

**"Welcome Back New Directions"  
Will, Emma, New Directions**

Emma wasn't going to spy on the kids. No, that wasn't her style. But as one entrusted with guidance, it was fully within her professional opinion that she should keep an eye on them… It was really upsetting to Will, what was happening to Glee Club, so she wanted to help. That day, of all days, she'd decided to observe them over lunch. She'd brought her own meal, of course. She knew the lunch ladies, they were lovely women… But she'd seen their handy work, so she brought her lunch from home still.

Coming into the cafeteria, she'd found a small table in the corner, out of the way, out of sight. She could already see a few of them that had arrived, sitting at various tables. Not one of them looked particularly happy… She could see how Will was at a loss. Emma would eat slowly, the better to keep an eye out for as long as possible.

She'd been looking down at her food for just a second or two, gathering up a bite on her fork, when she heard someone call out "Brittany!" She looked up to find the girl crossing among the tables. Emma put her fork down when she saw she was carrying a chair. Looking back, she saw it had been Santana's voice she'd heard… made sense.

Whatever had happened, and this no one but those twelve kids knew, somehow it hadn't affected them, not as much. But then, what she knew of those two, it was hardly a surprise.

She turned back to see what Brittany was up… on a chair? Emma frowned, not too sure what was happening. But then…

_[B] "Countless hours of learning more / Countless hours of knowing less / Can't look behind you."_

Part of her was still uncertain as to how to interpret this, but the other part was just thinking how long it had been since they'd heard one of those voices anywhere in this school, and she smiled. When she heard the second voice, she did like everyone else did, she looked back.

_[B/S] "You have to look ahead"_

She felt her heart hop at the addition of Santana's voice. Not only that, she was now getting up, taking her own chair and moving it next to Brittany's, climbing on as they sang on, arm in arm.

_[B/S] "So many doubts running through your mind / All the excuses / Don't have the time / All the rejection you have to leave behind / Leave it all behind."_

She would never have believed she'd see the day a couple of Cheerios would put on this kind of display, this way…

Everyone did the collective head turn once again and Emma gasped at what she saw and heard, quickly taking out her phone and hitting speed dial.

_[B, S, R] "Hold your dreams / Don't ever let it go / Be yourself / And let the world take notice."_

"Hello?"

"Will, you have to get down to the cafeteria right now," Emma spoke so fast she had to pull in a gasp of air after. Rachel had climbed on her chair now, next to Brittany's.

"W… The cafeteria? Why?" Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Sue get up, but he paid no attention, stopping at what he heard. Much in the fashion of Sectionals, Emma had held out her phone, capturing the voices singing. "Is that Rachel?" he spoke, surprised.

"And Brittany and Santana. Oh…" she blinked, seeing… "Finn just got up too, he's got two…"

_[BSRF] "You'll find strength / When people bring you down."_

"O-okay, Quinn's going now, Will… You have to get down here," she breathed giddiness.

_[BSRFQ] "They will see / If you would only, only believe."_

"I'll be right there," he told her before hanging up and gathering his things. He'd just stepped out of the teachers' lounge when he was accosted by one of his Spanish class students with a question. He didn't want to miss what was going on, especially after having already missed Sectionals, but he couldn't bail out on this either. So he stayed to answer the question.

In the cafeteria, Emma had been watching with a bit of concern as both Finn and Rachel helped Quinn climb on the chair next to Rachel. But she'd made it, holding on to the brunette's hand for support. Now that it was done, Emma looked back across the cafeteria, wondering and hoping for the next voices…

But then came the issue. After she'd left the teachers' lounge, sensing perhaps Glee Club was trying to make a resurgence, relodging as the thorn in her side, she'd started for the cafeteria. As luck would have it, as she was striding along, she spotted… "Figgins!" The man stopped, seeming to groan to himself. "Follow me," she told him, not waiting for an answer. He wasn't sure why, but he followed.

Emma gasped quietly when she saw them come in. She looked to the five of them up there, wondering if she should intervene… Maybe she should wait and see if they'd manage on their own. Besides, seeing how livid Sue was at the sight of her Cheerios up there was oddly satisfying.

The lividity hardened in the cheerleading coach while pride swelled in the guidance counsellor when Kurt got up and incited the others to lead him in.

_[K] "Someway, somehow" / [BSRFQ] "Yeah, yeah, yeah" / [K] "Don't give up now" / [BSRFQ] "Don't give up"_

Emma barely resisted breaking into applause as the next four joined in, one right after the other – Artie, Tina, Mike, Matt… Will had yet to arrive, and she wasn't sure what could possibly keep him from this.

_[KA] "Don't be afraid to succeed" / [BSRFQ] "To succeed, yeah" / [T] "Someway, somehow" / [BSRFQKA] "Come on, everybody" / [Mi] "The time is right now" / [BSRFQKA] "It's our time, yeah" / [Ma] "Don't be afraid to succeed" / [BSRFQKA] "To succeed, yeah"_

He'd finally settled the student's question, now nothing would stop him from going. He ran through the halls, and as he approached the cafeteria, he could hear… the thing he'd feared he'd lost… his kids, singing, united…

He got to the door, and he looked in, not wanting to distract them. A few more had joined in since Emma had called, though he still counted two missing. And yet… watching the ten already up there, he could feel the joy fill him, his eyes welling up.

_[10] "Hold your dreams / Don't ever let it go"_

It had all seemed a crazy idea at first, harebrained… taking over Glee Club. But he knew it was right, deep down, even if the others wouldn't. He knew those kids, he was those kids once upon a time. If anyone could see them through this, it would be him. To think he'd almost left it just as they had started…

The next few months had been filled with discoveries, complications, joy, sadness, lessons, life… music… He would forever cherish it, both good and bad together, knowing the bad made the good as good as it was in some twisted way. He finally felt like he was where he belonged. He'd put this thing he loved into the back of his mind for far too long. In the end, it wasn't worth it, denying himself. He needed to choose happiness, and he'd done that by choosing Glee Club.

Even if he hadn't been in the room with them all along, Will did just like everyone else in the room, turning at the sound of a new voice. He watched, smiled, as Puck stood from his chair and moved to join the others.

_[P+10] "Be yourself / And let the world take notice"_

Will found himself taking one step forward, seeking to find Mercedes among the tables. When he did, he waited with hope. "Come on… you can do it…" he whispered under his breath.

_[Me+11] "You'll find strength / When people bring you down / They will see / If you would only, only believe."_

Mercedes stood, and he smiled as all twelve voices bounced off the walls of McKinley's cafeteria. He took another step forward, looking across the room to find Emma. They both smiled, and Emma tilted her head to indicate he should look back. When he did, he chuckled, seeing the twelve of them grinning back to him.

"Are you honestly just going to stand there?" Sue cut across the silence, staring at Figgins. The man looked back to her for a moment before turning to Will.

"Is Glee Club back in session?" he asked, looking to the kids for a second. They all nodded firmly and Will smirked, relaying the motion to Figgins. "Excellent," he made his exit, passing a furiously stunned Sue. She threw Will a look before following suite and heading out. Will watched them go before turning back to the group.

"Guys? Shall we?" he gestured for them to follow. They cheered in agreement, while the rest of the cafeteria got back to eating. After getting down from the chairs, they went and followed Mr. Schuester out of the cafeteria. As they reached their old room, he opened the door, turned the lights on. He smiled to himself before turning and indicating for them to get inside. They went to sit and rather than standing, facing them, he went and sat among them. "I tell you, I'm so… happy to see you all together like this again, smiling… What happened back there?"

"Brittany happened," Artie answered, the others smirking and briefly cheering her on. Santana, sitting next to her, smiled to her with pride, and Mike gave her an outstretched high five across the group.

"Well, thank you, Brittany," Will nodded.

"Sure," she shrugged humbly.

"Tell you what," Will stood as an idea came to him. "I made you abandon your lunches, why don't we go out and grab something, my treat, and we can discuss things. Then this afternoon, practice," he nodded. It was a unanimous yes.

Glee Club was officially back.

THE END


End file.
